2019 ORTHOPAEDIC SPECIALIST CERTIFICATION …

1 2018 ORTHOPAEDIC SPECIALIST CERTIFICATION candidate GUIDE ORTHOPAEDIC SPECIALIST CERTIFICATION candidate Guide 2 SPRING 2017 Dear Fellow Physical Therapist:Congratulations! By acquiring this candidate Guide, you have been proactive in your interest in and pursuit of SPECIALIST CERTIFICATION . The SPECIALIST CERTIFICATION program has been designed to identify and define physical therapy specialty areas and to formally recognize physical therapists who have attained advanced knowledge and skills in those areas. CERTIFICATION also assists the public and health care community in identifying therapists with acknowledged expertise in a particular field of practice and demonstrates that physical therapists are devoted to addressing the unique needs of the people with whom we is achieved through successful completion of a standardized online application and examination process.

2 Coordination of this program is provided by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties (ABPTS), the governing body for approval of new specialty areas and CERTIFICATION of clinical specialists . Specialty councils representing the 9 recognized specialty areas have been appointed to delineate and describe the advanced knowledge, skills, and abilities of clinical specialists ; determine specific requirements for CERTIFICATION ; and develop the CERTIFICATION dedicated volunteers currently giving their time and service to the development of this process are listed in the rosters in the beginning of this guide. APTA established this program in 1978 to provide formal recognition for physical therapists with advanced clinical knowledge, competence, and skills in a special area of practice.

3 The program evolved from the membership of special interest sections of APTA as a way to encourage and facilitate the professional growth of individual members and thereby facilitate growth of the entire specialists have clearly demonstrated their commitment to service by the variety, depth, and consistency of their professional involvement. Their desire to attain formal recognition of their advanced clinical knowledge, competence, and skills reflects their devotion to their profession and their patients. In these times of dramatic health care reform, dedication to public service by providing high quality physical therapy services is you share these personal and professional principles, then you are in the right place! Please join the growing number of physical therapists who have chosen this pathway of professional you for your interest and I wish you success in this ,Tracy Spitznagle, PT, DPT, MHS Board-Certfied Women s Health Clinical SPECIALIST Chair, American Board of Physical Therapy SpecialtiesOrthopaedic SPECIALIST CERTIFICATION candidate Guide 3 AMERICAN BOARD OF PHYSICALTHERAPY SPECIALTIEST heresa Spitznagle, PT, DPT, MHS, ChairBoard-Certified Women s Health Clinical SpecialistSusan A.

4 Appling, PT, DPT, PhD, MTCB oard-Certified ORTHOPAEDIC Clinical SpecialistRonald Barredo, PT, DPT, EdDBoard-Certified Geriatrics Clinical SpecialistJean M. Irion, PT, EdD, ATCB oard-Certified Sports Clinical SpecialistAna Lotshaw, PT, PhDBoard-Certified Cardiovascular & Pulmonary Clinical SpecialistRobin Myers, PT, DPTB oard-Certified Neurologic Clinical SpecialistWilliam O Grady, PT, DPT, FAPTA, FAAOMPT, DAAPMB oard-Certified ORTHOPAEDIC Clinical SpecialistEric Pelletier, PT, DPTB oard-Certified Pediatrics Clinical SpecialistScott D. Richards, PhD, PA-C, DFAAPAR obert Sellin, PT, DScBoard-Certified Clinical Electrophysiologic Clinical SpecialistDon Straube, PT, PhDBoard-Certified Neurologic Clinical SpecialistSPECIALTY COUNCIL ON ORTHOPAEDIC PHYSICAL THERAPYD errick Sueki, PT, DPT, ChairBoard-Certified ORTHOPAEDIC Clinical SpecialistJudy R.

5 Gelber, PT, DPT, CSCSB oard-Certified ORTHOPAEDIC Clinical SpecialisttHilary Greenberger, PT, PhDBoard-Certified ORTHOPAEDIC Clinical SpecialistGrace Johnson, PT, DPT, MSBoard-Certified ORTHOPAEDIC Clinical SpecialistPamela Kikillus, DHSc, CHT, FAAOMPTB oard-Certified ORTHOPAEDIC Clinical SpecialistROSTERSAMERICAN BOARD OF PHYSICAL THERAPY SPECIALTIESSPECIALTY COUNCILO rthopaedic SPECIALIST CERTIFICATION candidate Guide 41. GENERAL American Physical Therapy Association .. American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties .. Specialty Council .. Additional Physical Therapy Examinations .. National Board of Medical Examiners .. Prometric .. Restriction of the Term Board-Certified SPECIALIST ..12. CERTIFICATION General Requirements .. Other Requirements .. Steps to Complete CERTIFICATION .

6 Maintenance of SPECIALIST CERTIFICATION (MOSC) .. Ineligibility for CERTIFICATION ..33. APPLICATION Application Deadline .. Procedures for Application Review .. Services for Persons With Disabilities .. CERTIFICATION in More Than 1 Specialty Area .. Submission of Application .. Application Review Fee .. Time Limit for Active Application/Reapplication .. Address Changes ..44. SCHEDULING THE Examination Fee and Scheduling Permit .. Test Dates .. How to Schedule an Appointment at a Testing Center .. Refunds and Cancellations .. Rescheduling an Exam ..55. PREPARING FOR THE Description of Specialty Practice (DSP).. Exam Content Outline .. Preparation for the Exam .. Review Materials and Courses .. Study Groups .. Exam Development .. Exam Question Format .. Answer Strategy.

7 Tutorial ..66. SITTING FOR THE Computer Testing .. Test Centers and Testing Conditions .. Exam Time .. Admission to Test .. Testing Regulations and Rules of Irregular Behavior During the Examination Process .. Canceled or Delayed Exam Administration or Problems at the Testing Center .. Exam Deferral .. Equipment Malfunction .. Incomplete Examinations ..87. EXAM Exam Results and Notification .. Scaled Scores .. Passing Scores ..88. Confidentiality of Applicant Identity .. Confidentiality of Examination Content ..99. GROUNDS FOR DISCIPLINARY ACTION ..910. PROCEDURES FOR REVIEW OF Reconsideration of Decision Regarding Eligibility to Sit for the Exam .. Appeal to ABPTS of Specialty Council s Decision Regarding Eligibility to Sit for the Exam .. Procedures for Review of CERTIFICATION Actions.

8 Appeal to APTA Board of Directors of ABPTS Decision to Deny CERTIFICATION ..911. EXAM CONTENT OUTLINE & SAMPLE Exam Content Outline .. Sample Questions ..1112. RESOURCE GUIDE INFORMATION ..13 TABLE OF CONTENTSO rthopaedic SPECIALIST CERTIFICATION candidate Guide 11. GENERAL American Physical Therapy AssociationThe American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) is a national professional organization representing more than 95,000 physical therapists, physical therapist assistants, and physical therapy students throughout the United States. Its goals are to serve its members and to serve the public by increasing the understanding of the physical therapist s role in the health care system, and by fostering improvements in physical therapy education, practice, research, and professional established the SPECIALIST CERTIFICATION program in 1978 to provide formal recognition for physical therapists with advanced clinical knowledge, experience, and skills in a special area of practice, and to assist consumers and the health care community to identify physical therapy American Board of Physical Therapy SpecialtiesCoordination and oversight of the SPECIALIST CERTIFICATION process is provided by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties (ABPTS)

9 , which is the governing body for approval of new specialty areas and CERTIFICATION of clinical specialists . ABPTS comprises board-certified physical therapists from different specialty areas; a physical therapist member of the APTA Board of Directors; an individual with expertise in test development, evaluation, and education; and a nonphysical therapist member representing the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) prohibits preferential treatment or adverse discrimination on the basis of race, creed, color, gender, age, national or ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability or health status in all areas including, but not limited to, its qualifications for membership, rights of members, policies, programs, activities, and employment Specialty CouncilThe Specialty Council, representing the area of ORTHOPAEDIC physical therapy, has been appointed to delineate the advanced knowledge, skills, and abilities for their specialty area; to determine the academic and clinical requirements for CERTIFICATION .

10 And to develop the CERTIFICATION examinations and oversee the maintenance of SPECIALIST CERTIFICATION . The Council comprises 5 board-certified specialists in the practice Additional Physical Therapy ExaminationsIndividuals interested in Cardiovascular & Pulmonary, Clinical Electrophysiology, Geriatric, Neurologic, Pediatric, Sports, and Women s Health certifications must complete a separate online application, accessible through APTA s SPECIALIST CERTIFICATION Program website ( ). National Board of Medical ExaminersThe National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME ) is a nonprofit organization that strives to provide the highest quality testing and research services to organizations involved in the licensure and CERTIFICATION of medical and health science professionals.